There's one item that singer and rapper Nicki Nicole keeps on tour with her that she admits is a little bit of an odd favorite.
"I'm going to say [it's] kind of weird, but I like to eat ginger," Nicole says in today's episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "I got used to warming up my voice and eating ginger…Nowadays, I put it in my tea, sometimes I eat a few slices. It's kind of weird, but if you get used to it, it's really good."
Ginger isn't the only fragrant item that Nicole keeps backstage with her when she's on the road. The singer also has a soft spot for flowers, and the ones she likes to have backstage are the favorite varieties that bring back memories of her childhood in Argentina.
"The flowers that I personally like very much are roses. I also like daisies a lot," she explains. "I have them in my backyard. They are always with me, and also jasmine. These types of flowers remind me a lot [of] when I was little, the roses or those things, they remind me of my neighborhood and the things that were there."
Those familiar, grounding memories serve Nicole well when she's on tour: The urbano singer says that she's had to learn to harness the strong emotions she feels before a show. "Before I get on stage," she says, "I'm like a roller coaster of emotions.
While that's still true, Nicole says she feels a little more in control of those emotions. Whether that's because of those childhood reminders, the ginger snack or simply her growth as an artist, she channels the emotions into her performance. "I've learned to enjoy it," she adds.
Press play on the video above to hear more about Nicole's evolving approach to live performance — and the intimate bond with her fans she's built on the road — and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.